A confused kaida

[kaida]

(written in relativly neat script)

If the orcs had wanted the person who got the lore tome from the undead would you give that person over? if it meant saving your own necks?



(signed with a star of chaos)

[Damia]

Two replies are left next to the note.

The first is written on a stained, crinkly piece of parchment. The words are scrawled on the paper, and barely legible. It reads:

Don't worry Kiada. If anything, the orcs would be after the entire town for helping Abraxas get the lore tome, not the one person who grabbed it. And Phoenix tribe will protect you, if you stay by us and don't wander off.

-Damia

The second letter is written in a neat cursive handwritting. The parchment is in prestine condition and has never been folded. It's neatly placed on the table. You don't recognize the person who responded.

It has been many years since I have been to a market day. The last time I have had contact with those from Evermoore was during an Inverness market day, right before the Highlands fell. I joined the ranks of FWAP's adventuring party, and shall return to Evermoore before the summer heat hits. I look foward to seeing some familiar faces.

In response to your question, first I'd like to say I have not kept current with the events going on around Evermoore since my last visit. With that said, I think that an orc army would be looking for any reason to crush a red robe. Many orcs would use anything as a reason to smite thier enemy- but beware, not every orc will need a reason. I will defend my brother and sister Guildsmen, if they are in good standing, to my death. I expect no less in return.

Now, Im curious as to why you follow the ways of Chaos. As a guildsmen it is your duty to help preserve the Age of Order, and while many accept the Age of Chaos will come, it is no secret that many Red Robes accept, and help usher in the new Age. I am not looking foward to the day our realm is consumed in fire and flames, so as a fellow Guildsmen, I trust that you will excercise caution as part of this cause.

-Kira

[kaida]

(written in relatively neat script)

My reasons for joining the army of Raheed are my own, I am a tradesmen in good standing, that is the important thing. As I am sure you know Chaos is often represented by Fire. Fire has two sides, the harmful destructive force, and the force that brings light and warmth. Often we only see one side of fire, as we only see one side of chaos. Chaos is neither harmful nor helpful, it simply is. However how people see or act toward or with Chaos, that is what gives us our impression of it. Many tradesmen see chaos only as a force of destruction, but I see it as a force of joy.

And the Jesters followed the ways of Chaos, that does not mean that they were wrong. They followed their beliefs which we all have a right to do. As you do not know me, I will thank you not to judge me.



(signed in cursive)

Kaida Antilake-Trayce, Ranger, Order of the Phoenix

[Atrus Rand]

(Written in a handwriting unfamiliar)

Forgive me, for I had a scribe write this, considering I cannot myself life a pen to paper.

I also wish for you to forgive me, for as much as I believe in people "following their own path" and such, I cannot possibly agree with one's decisions to follow the red robes. Simple logic dictates that the Red Robes want the age of chaos, or so believe that it is already here. Our Guildhall Oath states that it is our job to prevent, or at least deter the age of chaos for as long as possible.

Unfortunately for me, I'm a loyal follower of my guildhall oath, and I do believe that every person who believes in the Red Robes either is quick to want attention from the rest of the town, wants the age of chaos to consume us, or believes that it is already here, which in my opinion already voids their apparent intentions of following their oath.

Chaos stands for complete unpredictability. A lack of order in any sense of the word. If a child is murdered, will one say, "This must be stopped!" Or shall one simply state, "My saving of the child would be predictable, and against what we consider chaos." I reference the jesters who laughed and partied as the war surrounded them. Only when it mattered to them did they do something about it, in the instance of when Karthis lost who was important to him.

This stands as my opinion, and my opinion alone, but each person who dawns the mark of the Red Robes is another sliver of time taken out of our age of order, and thus I believe my remarks upon the comment of being a "tradesmen in good standing" do not need to be said.

If one truly wishes to follow in the steps of chaos, I truly hope you'll have time for apologies in the spirit realm before the void swallows us up. For obliteration is chaotic, no? And I will void as soon as I see us believing that the age of chaos is upon us.

I will be sending notes periodically with a man named Thorn. Not exactly a friendly sort, Nor do I strictly agree with his sense of what order is, but he is capable. Expect him the market day after this one.

- Scribe: Thorn (A claw mark after) for Atrus R. Rand.

[Gravius]

A piece of parchment penned in the experienced calligraphy of The Scribe of Evermoore is pinned up:

Kaida,
While I for one applaud your newfound zeal, I must question your statements about judgment, as your rekindled faith relies heavily upon it.

The first judgment falls on your use of the term Jesters. The Red Robe Army is far from the Jesters of yore, dancing and partying in the streets of Evermoore. They are Illriggers, corrupted by Karthis's incarnation of hatred and revenge. They seek nothing further than to aid Karthis as he sinks the world in fire and flames, as it is said to happen. As the realm progresses toward this fate, the Illriggers will be first to dance in the burning wreckage like the Jesters of yore, only with malice and hatred in their hearts.

Also, the Red Robe Army has made the judgment that the world is steeped in a new Age of Chaos, and as such have donned the robes of red to signify Karthis and his vengeance. This is contrary to the Guildhall Oath all of those that are from Guildhall must recite; The Age of Order still exists to Guildhall, as the Age of Chaos in summation would mean the complete annihilation of Guildhall and all it stands for. To be less verbose: the reason your choice of words (and choice in general) is so awkward is because of its contradictory nature. The statement "a tradesman in good standing" means little if there are ulterior motives involved. This has been proved with Sir Abraxas and his seeking help in Evermoore.

Now, as for Chaos, I believe it to do more than just exist. It is the spark that keeps life going and can unpredictably snuff it out in the same gesture. The point I make is that chaos is both harmful and helpful, and can be both simultaneously. It is a double edged sword, and its use falls directly on the wielder of said force. This is my judgment on the matter.

I feel if you are compelled to join this religious belief, then by all means do not hold yourself back. Yet do not expect compassion and a pat on the back for your efforts from everyone you know, as there are some (including myself) that believe this choice to be a foolish one. Kira only stated her concern for you as a Tradesman would, as I do as well. As for my opinion: no force, not even your word, can stop anyone from judging you or anyone else. It is the right and privilege of all living things to do so.

Being a tradesman in good standing does not rob tradesmen of their ability to reason or formulate opinions. Neither is it a forced obligation upon tradesmen to help those that may be personally judged to be harmful to Guildhall and their fellow brother and sister tradesmen. If anything, I would wish you, Kaida, to use your own judgment and see how harmful this viewpoint you have chosen can be. Until then, I will pray to my own goddess for the retention of this Age or Order.

Signed:
Father Gravius Faustus

[Lavinia]

*on a dirty, mud stained peice of paper scrawled in red crayon*

No.


Trades men look out for eachother. We didn't take the oath as tradesmen to throw someone too the wolves.
Anyone who does so should be stripped from the guildhall status. If we turn to the old ways of fighting, the Age of Chaos is going to be on us faster then the Nexus.

-Lavvie

[Brian K]

A letter addressed to the FWAP compound. It smells vaguely of ozone and smoke

The goal of Raheed and the Red Robes is the end of Order. By joining with his ranks, you are now in league with enemies of the Age of Order, a crime for which was at one point death. As Guildsmen, it is our sworn duty to uphold the Age of Order and prevent the world from being consumed in the Fires of Karthys. You have committed the grave sin of betrayal.

If, in order to prevent the Age of Chaos, I had to hand a Tradesmen over to any power, be it Holt, Guildhall, the Empire, or even the Red Robes themselves, I would. Any decent Tradesmen would know that the safety of an entire realm is more important than their petty ideals, beliefs, or allegiences.

When the armies of Chaos march against the Realm, the deaths of betrayers like you will be the only bright point in a dark time.